charlie hewitt: new prints

Jim Kempner Fine Art is pleased to present an exhibition of recent prints by Charlie Hewitt. These relief prints - blends of woodcut and linocut - are a colorful celebration of the regional geography of the coast of Maine, where Hewitt grew up and now lives. Since the resurgence of the woodcut in the 1980's, Hewitt has cut and gouged his way into the very soul of the medium. The physicality of this body of work reflects Hewitt’s emotional connection to the regional landscape, as well as his appreciation for the tactility of the medium. Recognizable shapes of buoys, waves, and lighthouses create a narrative throughout the show. This imagery is part of Hewitt’s personal iconography and references some of the New England industry Hewitt remembers from his childhood. The prints were printed by master printer David Wolfe, of David Wolfe Editions.

All prints in this show are priced for challenging times. Each is available for $800.

Charlie Hewitt

Charlie Hewitt, a prolific printmaker, painter and sculptor, splits his time between Portland, ME, and Jersey City, NJ. Stylistically rooted in expressionism and surrealism, Hewitt’s art is both playful and serious. Among Hewitt’s most important work to date is Urban Rattle, a sculpture that hovers prominently over Chelsea’s High Line park in New York City. 

He was commissioned to create this site-specific work which was installed in time for the inauguration of the second section of the High Line in 2012. Urban Rattle’s shapes intentionally recall the graffiti on the walls of the buildings surrounding it and can be said to honor the former grit and spirit of the area. Since the unveiling of this work, Hewitt has installed other large public Urban Rattle sculptures in Lewiston and Portland, Maine. These are the mill-working communities that he grew up around, and his work is largely influenced by their vitality and culture, as well as their shared values of church, family and hard work.  

Hewitt’s work is represented in numerous collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY; Whitney Museum of American Art, NY; New York Public Library, NY; Brooklyn Museum, NY; Library of Congress, Washington, DC; and the Portland Museum of Art, ME.